Daily news summaries

Catch up with RBA's daily birdnews summaries. Browse ten days at a time, or choose a date to read summaries from that day backwards.

Daily summaries are available from 13 April 2006. For earlier weekly reviews, visit our articles.

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Saturday 1st August 2009  
  The day was dominated by an unprecedented influx of Wilson's Petrels with 27 passing the Bridges of Ross, County Clare, a further 15 off Brandon Point County Kerry, two off Porthgwarra, Cornwall and one passing Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire. Pelagic trips recorded a further nine off the Isles of Scilly and two off St Ives, Cornwall, making a day total of 56 birds: contrasting starkly with the combined total of eighteen bird days throughout June and July 2009.

Elsewhere, in Norfolk the Great Spotted Cuckoo was relocated at Weybourne and both the Pacific Golden Plover and White-rumped Sandpiper remained in situ, the Marsh Sandpiper was still on the Isles of Scilly, the Lesser Yellowlegs continued to show in Lothian as did both a Great White Egret and Cattle Egrets (2) in Somerset, and single Ferruginous Ducks were in both Cambridgeshire and Fife.

Scarcities included a Purple Heron in London, Ring-necked Duck in Fife, Great Grey Shrike in Cumbria, seven Sabine's Gulls passing County Clare and single Pectoral Sandpipers in Aberdeenshire, Cleveland and Norfolk. Balearic Shearwaters totaled 31 in seven counties (including 24 in Cornwall), Black Terns totaled 45 in ten counties (including 13 in Leicestershire) and Curlew Sandpipers totaled 54 in four counties (including 48 in Hampshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 31st July 2009  
  A White-rumped Sandpiper arrived at Welney WWT (Norfolk) this morning, where it showed into the evening. Lingering waders included a Marsh Sandpiper on Isles of Scilly and Pacific Golden Plover in Norfolk. The Ferruginous Duck was still in Fife, Cattle Egrets remained in Somerset and Berkshire, the Lesser Yellowlegs was seen again at Aberlady Bay (Lothian) and Great White Egrets lingered in Somerset and Suffolk.

A Wilson's Petrel was observed from a Scilly pelagic this evening, a Sabine's Gull was logged past Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire), a Serin appeared at Keyhaven (Hampshire) and a Pectoral Sandpiper remained in Aberdeenshire.

In Cumbria the surprise news of the day related to the confirmation that a Great Grey Shrike last reported on 14th April was still present at Alston Moor.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 30th July 2009  
  New rarities included a Whiskered Tern in Derbyshire and Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk, but neither lingered. Cattle Egrets arrived in Somerset (3) and Berkshire.

Elsewhere the Marsh Sandpiper remained on Isles of Scilly, the Pacific Golden Plover was still in Norfolk and Lesser Yellowlegs remained in East Yorkshire and Lothian. A Pacific or American Golden Plover flew over Tacumshin (Co Wexford) and in Fife both the Ferruginous Duck and Ring-necked Duck were again logged at Lochgelly Loch.

Pectoral Sandpipers were recorded in Aberdeenshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 29th July 2009  
  The second Marsh Sandpiper for the Isles of Scilly was discovered this evening, and continued to show well at Porth Hellick until dusk. In County Louth, a Gull-billed Tern was seen off Cooley Point early evening, and two Wilson's Petrels flew past the Bridges of Ross, County Clare.

Lingering rarities included the Pacific Golden Plover at Breydon Water, Norfolk, whilst either a Pacific or American Golden Plover flew south past Southwold, Suffolk, this evening. In Scotland, the Lesser Yellowlegs remained in Lothian, and both the Ferruginous Duck and Ring-necked Duck were still in Fife.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 28th July 2009  
  Lingering rarities included the adult Pacific Golden Plover at Breydon Water, Norfolk, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in Lothian and Yorkshire, Franklin's Gull on Orkney, Great White Egret in Somerset and Ferruginous Duck in Fife, where it was joined by a Ring-necked Duck.

On the Isles of Scilly, the probable Black-browed Albatross was seen, once again distantly off St Martin's, but a pelagic a couple of hours later in the area failed to find the troublesome bird.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 27th July 2009  
  A Lesser Grey Shrike on Mainland Shetland was today's best new discovery and Pacific Golden Plover in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian and East Yorkshire and Ferruginous Duck in Fife all lingered.

A possible Black-browed Albatross and a possible Scopoli's Shearwaters were both seen off the Isle of Scilly, where two Wilson's Petrels were also logged from a pelagic. Great White Egrets remained in Suffolk and Somerset, a Pectoral Sandpiper visited Manby, Lincolnshire and in East Yorkshire a Cory's Shearwater was tracked north past Spurn and Grimston.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 26th July 2009  
  Two untwitchable Mega-rarities provided today's headlines - an immature Black-browed Albatross past Porthgwarra (Cornwall) and a flyby Fan-tailed Warbler at Whitstable (Kent).

Elsewhere the golden plover sp at Breydon Water (Norfolk) was reidentified as a Pacific Golden Plover and in Fife a Ferruginous Duck appeared at Lochgelly Loch. In East Yorkshire the Lesser Yellowlegs made another appearance at Paull Holme Strays whilst in Lothian another Lesser Yellowlegs remained at Aberlady Bay.

Great White Egrets lingered in Somerset and Suffolk and Pectoral Sandpipers were logged in Lothian and Cleveland.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 25th July 2009  
  A Ferruginous Duck was a new arrival at Skinflats, Forth and a Wilson's Petrel was seen from a boat offshore from Padstow, Cornwall.

Lingering rarities comprised the Collared Pratincole still in East Yorkshire, Franklin's Gull on the Orkney Isles, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, American Golden Plover in Norfolk, Cattle Egret in Devon and single Great White Egrets in both Somerset and Suffolk.

Seabirds elsewhere included a Sabine's Gull in Highland, Cory's Shearwater off Suffolk and Balearic Shearwaters in Cornwall (59), Devon (3) and the Isles of Scilly.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 24th July 2009  
  In Norfolk, the Great Spotted Cuckoo remained in the Salthouse area all day, although it went missing between 11am and 7.50pm, when it was eventually re-found at nearby Kelling. In East Yorkshire, relocating rarities included a Lesser Yellowlegs at Paull Holme Strays, and Collared Pratincole at Tophill Low NR. A Black Kite was seen in Suffolk.

In the Southwest, four Wilson's Petrels were seen this evening off the Isles of Scilly. Elsewhere, the Little Bittern was in Somerset, Franklin's Gull was Orkney, American Golden Plover in Norfolk and Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 23rd July 2009  
  An adult Great Spotted Cuckoo was found at Salthouse, Norfolk, late afternoon, and was present until 8.55pm at least. It was typically mobile and elusive, and ranged over a very wide area on the north and east side of the village.

At opposite ends of the country a male Two-barred Crossbill was on Fair Isle, Shetland, and five Wilson's Petrels were seen from a pelagic near the Isles of Scilly. Lingering rarities included the Collared Pratincole in Yorkshire, American Golden Plover in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Franklin's Gull on Orkney and Great White Egret in Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA